BRITONS have been warned to get ready for Storm Gareth as the new weather front will cause severe gales of up to 80mph on Tuesday bringing the risk of heavy flooding and power cuts for many.

The extreme weather will hit the UK on Tuesday as the storm changes its direction towards Britain from seemingly heading to Iceland during the course of Monday. Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin warned the weather service is "concerned" about Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, where severe gales will reach up to 80mph. Mr Deakin said: “One particularly bout of wet and very windy weather is going to come courtesy of Storm Gareth.

"But they are becoming fewer in number already and will continue to fade through this morning’s rush hour and into the afternoon.”

The BBC forecaster said the pleasant weather will “take a turn” through the evening, adding: “Quite quickly tonight things take a turn for the wetter and windier – some very heavy rain for a time in Scotland and Northern Ireland coming to sit across northwest England, north and west Wales later in the night.

"We will see widespread gales develop and could see winds touch 60 or 70mph for a time across the north and west of Scotland.

“It all keeps the temperatures up. But the real sting in the tail comes here. This area of low pressure just the south of Iceland which will move in later in the day.”